Why can't I play neck-through basses? w/ Poll

[tfer]

Also 24 fret necks are more common in through body basses, so if you play upper register a lot there's that aspect.

That used to be the case, but once you get away from Fender and their clones, most companies make 24 fret boards now. From my experience, most of those are budget friendly bolt-ons.

In neck throughs, it’s easier to play up there, but bolt-ons are common.

 

[inanimate_carb]

I prefer bolt-on for sonic reasons, but the way a neck attaches to a body is of little concern to me.

 

[PraiseBassing]

I love playing neck-throughs. I prefer the feel and sound, but if something happens to the neck, the bass is done. I’ll never own a neck through for this reason.

 

[Munjibunga]

It'd be interesting to find out if you could tell the difference if you didn't know it was a neck-through - you know, blindfolded. The Fodera Monarch triplets of a few years ago would've been the perfect trial basses.

 

[Treebeard]

Sound advise!

Though I don't think OP had any intention of trying to discourage people from using basses with neck through construction, it is my impression he simply is curious as to what the general view on these basses is, hence the poll.

Thank you.

Somebody should do a poll on favorite colors of HSC interior lining material.

I like the red w/ tweed; what's your favorite?!

 

[bobyoung53]

I couldn't vote because for one thing I'm not sure how much of a difference it is but more importantly, i do own all three and play all three but I do think it makes a difference.I have all three types and like all three, neck through, glued in and bolt on, they all play different from each other but the basses themselves and the strings are so different it's difficult to say how much the type of neck joint contributes to each others playability. I tend to think however that bolt ons and glued in are a little more staccato than your typical neck through. I own Fenders, Gibson's and Rickenbacker's and they do all feel different from each other but not sure how much the neck joints contributes to that. I think the only way I could tell conclusively was to have 3 same brand, set up the same basses, neck through, bolt on and glued in right next to each other on stands with everything else the same even the strings, and play them each for a while and get very well accustomed to them each.

 

[Ant Illington]

I have both types of necks and playability for me is impacted more by just about any other variable... string guage, string spacing, cut-away, neck width, neck depth, neck shape, fretboard radius, scale length, weight, upper horn length, all off the top of my head. Soundwise... dunno. I assumed you were talking about playability. But in your second post you mention sound/resonance. Ah. Hey, you're a cellist, you are probably way more attuned to sound than the average electric bassist so you have a valid point for you. Whatever works!

 

[jamro217]

I own a variety of basses including three NT (two Rics and a Carvin LB70), a set neck (Gibson L9 Ripper) and a flock of bolt ons. The only one I can't get used to is the Carvin. Partly because of the active electronics and partly because of the 24 frets (I'm used to 20 or none). The only advantage to a bolt on is the option of replacement. If you don't like a boltie, mod it or swap it. Don't like a NT, get another bass. You don't see too many people heavily modding NTs (not including pickups). Maybe because it's too risky for resale.

 

[Bassbeater]

Maybe because it's too risky for resale.

Nonsense! I'm taking my basses to the grave like a pharoah!

 

[jamro217]

Nonsense! I'm taking my basses to the grave like a pharoah!

Let us know where your plot is first, Tut.

 

[Flaked Beans]

Meh. There's no carrots button in the poll.
This thread needs some carrots!

PS. I love roasted carrots.

 

[LowActionHero]

Wow, just realized I have 3 bolt on basses, and 3 neck thru guitars.

 

[MattZilla]

I like that @Eilif brought up ole Mr. Les Paul. My first few guitars were cheap bolt-ons and eventually a neck thru Charvel M6 which I thought would be the Bist Gitaar fir Metull and, while the difference in playing it was like grizzled extra well done prime rib vs rare filet mignon (no car analogeee!), it was strangely smooth and creamy. It took moving on to a Charvel M2 and an nt King V, a set neck Dean ML, and a 70s strat before I found that a bolt-on's percussiveness and insignificant amount of diminished sustain as compared to my neck thrus and set necks was just plain more lively and enjoyable. My pointy destroy-the-mainstream guitars came through my amps like calm jazz/adult-contemporary guitars while that puffy, Eric Clapton-looking thing screamed, cut, and crushed like G.G. Allin.

This carried directly over to bass. I can list around twenty neck thru and set neck basses that I did like a lot, but not one of them did I like as much as any of the bolt ons I've owned or most of the ones I've tested. I have drank the P-Bass kool-aid, and it is good.

Like fretboard material, I doubt the difference can really be heard in the mix by even the sharpest ear any more than the average person can taste whether or not the salt on their potaters at the diner is iodized (another non-car simile!).

As I type this, ~48 hours ago I found at my local shop an 86 M6 with the ultra-smooooothe kahler. I think it's going to get lace sensors in the neck and middle with ser/par switching while the bridge pup cavity gets emptied. Watch out, Chet Atkins, a country douche is coming to town.

 

[tpaul]

I'm a Fender guy, so maybe I'm biased. But I think I would give neck-through a try if I liked the looks of one. For some reason most of them seem to look like a cutting board.

 

[socialleper]

I happen to like the feel and sound of a few NT basses. Now whether that's because of the neck or over all quality of the bass, it is hard to say. No one makes junker NT basses because it is expensive to do, so it may be that.

 

[Bassbeater]

Oooh... I want to make a bolt on bass out of a fancy cutting board now.
You know... for my chops.

 

[Rob Martinez]

I can't tell what kind of neck I am playing when I play it, just like I can't see the finish when I am playing. Having said that, I am partial to set neck construction.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I prefer the look and feel of a neck-thru instrument, but I'm agnostic about the sound (or at least I've yet to be convinced there are any consistent sonic qualities that can be reliably attributed to the neck mounting method). I currently own (3) neck-thru instruments and (5) bolt-ons. Previously I've owned (2) other neck-thrus and at least a dozen other bolt-ons. I'll play anything once. I'll keep anything that sounds good, feels good, and works for the music I'm making.

 

[ezstep]

Honestly, I cannot tell the difference. My G&L and Knuckle are both bolt on, my Carvin is thru, and my former Alembic was set-neck. I am useless in this poll - I cannot tell any difference until I get above the 18th fret (which is rare).

 

[tfer]

Coincidentally perhaps, but all my fretless basses have been neck through, while all my fretted have been bolt-ons.

I play far more adventurous lines (up higher) on my fretless and the neck throughs are more comfortable for me up high on the fingerboard.